Conversations - Postshttp://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com
This is the feed for all the posts on Conversations, now part of Microsoft <http://conversations.nokia.com>Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:44:13 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3noOur 5 best new Windows Phone apps of the weekhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/FQQdP2226bU/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/08/02/our-5-best-new-windows-phone-apps-of-the-week-4/#commentsSun, 02 Aug 2015 20:44:13 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187625Five apps enter, one app leaves.

We’ve been chanting this all week as we eagerly wait to see which Windows Phone will be the winner. Okay, we might be exaggerating a bit — this week’s 5 best apps are all winners in our eyes. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to hear what you think. Last week you chose the newly updated Hyperlapse as the best Windows Phone app of the week, and we can’t wait to see which one you’ll vote for this week. Take a look at what we’ve chosen, give them a try, and use the poll below to vote for your own favorite.

Why we love it: We admit it, we love to take selfies. And B612 takes our selfie-love to new levels, with tons of cool features that make it fun and easy to get a great photo. With 78 filters to choose from, you can find the perfect one for you by simply swiping. Even better, B612 remembers your favorite filters or lets you select one at random. Other great features include rear camera support, collage shot, timer, and social sharing.

Why we love it: FeedLab is a new client app for Feedly, one of the top news aggregators around. To get started reading articles and news from your favorite websites and blogs, all you need to do is sign up for a Feedly account, grab FeedLab from the Store, and enjoy. You can group your feeds into categories, customize article displays, use optimized gestures, and more. FeedLab also offers Live Tiles and Cortana integration.

Why we love it: Talkray is popular on other platforms, and we’re happy to join in on the fun. The VoIP app lets you make international calls and send messages for free, optimized for low data usage. Talkray integrates with your contacts list, so you won’t need to bother with adding people. The app isn’t perfect yet and some users have experienced problems, but we’re sure the kinks will be worked out soon enough. In the meantime, give it a try and let us know what you think.

Why we love it: Ganiza has been around for awhile, but received a hefty revamp this week that caught our attention. If you haven’t tried it yet, Ganiza is an app that helps you and your friends plan activities. It shows local events and self-created social activities, and lets your group vote on what to do. In other words, no more confusing group messages. Ganiza is cross-platform and free, so if you have trouble rounding up your friends for social activities, be sure to give it a try.

Why we love it: Windows Phone fans get a bit passionate when it comes to YouTube clients. Everyone has their favorite. But we think variety is the spice of life, and welcome new clients that enter the ring. Perfect Tube is the latest contender in the YouTube client battle, offering a number of features that might earn it one of those coveted pinned tiles. Designed exclusively for Windows Phone, you can watch, browse, and upload videos on Perfect Tube’s on a clean interface. Try it yourself to see whether or not you love it enough to make a switch.

Who it’s perfect for: YouTube users

Which best new Windows phone apps will you choose? Cast your vote and tell us why you went for it in the comments below.

Which is your best new Windows Phone app of the week?]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/08/02/our-5-best-new-windows-phone-apps-of-the-week-4/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/08/02/our-5-best-new-windows-phone-apps-of-the-week-4/Edit Living Images with Lumia Creative Studio Betahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/Qu8mNc6PFUQ/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/edit-living-images-with-lumia-creative-studio-beta/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 16:05:31 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187556Lumia Creative Studio is packed with features that make it simple for you to edit your photos to perfection. Now, with the Beta release, you can edit even more.

Published with the Beta label, this version of Lumia Creative Studio (6.6.0.25) is for photographers who want to be first to get their hands on the updates and provide feedback to improve future editions.

Any photo you take can be tweaked in a number of ways with Lumia Creative Studio. They include:

Color Pop: Remove one or more colors from the photo, resulting in a unique shot.

Blur Background: This feature really focuses the eye onto a particular part of an image.

Filters: Instantly change the look and mood of your photos by adding “Warm Copper,” “Vivid,” Retro Cool,” or many of the other one-tap filters.

One new feature in this Beta version of the app is the ability to amend your Living Images captured with Lumia Camera. Living Images turns your static pictures into living memories so that when you flick through each of your photos, they come alive with additional motion.

As a Beta release, you may experience some bugs, all of which should be submitted to the feedback forum – it’s your duty as a Beta tester (and thank you for your help!).

Also note that the app is only available in the Windows Phone Store for Lumia owners running Windows Phone 8.1. If you’ve taken part in the Windows Insider program and are running Windows 10 Mobile tech preview on your phone you won’t be able to install the app at this time.

For more details on Lumia Creative Studio Beta, head over to the Microsoft Developer Blog. If you’ve downloaded and tried out this app, let us know what you think!

]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/edit-living-images-with-lumia-creative-studio-beta/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/edit-living-images-with-lumia-creative-studio-beta/Back-to-school: Shop with your Lumiahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/M1ueQbWEaKM/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/back-to-school-shop-with-your-lumia/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 11:33:13 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187641Soon, parents and students will go on their annual shopping spree to prepare for the start of a new school year. If you dread wading into the crowds at your local mall, fear not. Try these apps on your Lumia to get school necessities.

Get the best online deals on books, gadgets, clothing and more with these recently updated shopping apps for Windows Phone.

The “big daddy” of shopping sites, Amazon makes it super easy to search for products, compare prices, share them with friends and read reviews. For instance, if you’re in a bricks-and-mortar store and want to compare prices on a product, scan the item’s barcode or type a search.

Here’s a tip: Pin the Amazon barcode scan tile to your Start screen for easy access! While Amazon is based in the U.S., shoppers from other countries can shop from their country’s Amazon store (just tap “more” on the Welcome page, then “Change Country”).

The free app’s simple, clean user interface is a pleasure to view, and all purchases are routed through Amazon’s secure servers so your transactions are safe.

Flipkart is India’s online megastore. Use the “smart search” feature to find products or brands using text, voice or barcode. One new feature is “image search”: Tap the photo of a product and the app will show you similar products.

Myntra is an app-only fashion and lifestyle store from India. Choose from more than 800 brands and 1,00,000 products in categories such as clothing, footwear, perfume, and watches.The app offers detailed product views and complete information with rich images and style notes from its dedicated fashion editors.

Browse from a wide selection of the latest clothing, accessories and electronics from Wish (account sign-up necessary). The free app claims to offer “trending items at a cheaper price than your local mall.”

Made for shoppers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuawait and Egypt, you can browse categories such as mobiles, laptops, tablets, perfumes, cameras and watches and get great deals.

Which shopping apps do you use? What’s your favorite?

]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/back-to-school-shop-with-your-lumia/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/back-to-school-shop-with-your-lumia/10 cleverest Lumia shots of Julyhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/lwhZCr3T458/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/lumia-shots-18/#commentsFri, 31 Jul 2015 08:26:10 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187550With a camera phone in our pockets, it’s now super-easy to capture a stunning photo at a moment’s notice. Check out some of these photos from Lumia owners.

This isn’t the first time we’ve featured Dávid Detkó. His photos are always incredible–and this one is no exception.

Using a Lumia 930, Dávid‘s taken a frame from a 4K video recording and captured a splash of water in crystal clarity.

Which is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below, and submit your own entry for our viewing pleasure.

]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/lumia-shots-18/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/31/lumia-shots-18/Poll results: Why did you switch to Lumia?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/8XoxtRnPhYM/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/30/poll-results-why-did-you-switch-to-lumia/#commentsThu, 30 Jul 2015 15:04:13 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187635Last week, we asked Conversations readers why they switched to Lumia. You answered! Here are your top three reasons for being a Lumia owner.

After all, there are so many excellent reasons– from Live Tiles to Cortana–that we couldn’t predict which of the 14 choices in our poll would take the top spot.

It wasn’t even close.

The Windows OS

With a resounding 30 percent of the vote, the top reason why our readers switched to a Lumia device is the Windows operating system.

That itself isn’t a surprise. With Windows Phone, the shared Windows experience is available across all your screens, including Windows-powered tablets and PCs.

Share music, videos, and photos anywhere, anytime with OneDrive. And with built-in Office support, you can edit important work documents in Excel or Word while on the go.

Windows on Lumia is your portal to improved productivity, both personally and professionally.

The Camera

Pulling in nearly 20 percent of the vote, Lumia’s excellent camera came in second place.

Anyone can be a great photographer with a Lumia. For instance, the new Microsoft Lumia 640 XL boasts a 13-megapixel main camera with LED flash and auto focus for taking professional-quality shots. Its full-HD 5-megapixel wide-angle front camera is also perfect for taking a quick selfie to share on social media.

Capture multiple photos with one press of the camera button in Burst Mode to capture an amazing action shot. Edit your existing photos in Lumia Creative Studio to create a personal masterpiece or add fun filters and special effects with free Microsoft apps like Lumia Selfie and Lumia Moments.

Other

“Other” took 12 percent of the vote to come in third, with our readers writing in their own reasons for switching.

Lumia’s Nokia roots were the most-mentioned reason for why Lumia owners initially made the switch in this category, having bought their first Windows Phone under the Nokia brand.

Indian engineering student Ritesh Meena became interested in mobile photography after buying the Lumia 620 in 2013. Photography then became a passion after he got his hands on the Lumia 1020 and Lumia 535.

“I have become a great fan of Lumia and it’s Camera,” said 21-year old Ritesh. “Right now, Lumia 535 and Lumia 1020 are my handy phones, and I love to click photos with them every day.”

(Click on the pictures to see the high resolution image)

He likes to take his photos without any external lenses, but when it comes snapping close-up images or distant images, he relies on macro and tele lenses.

We recently had a chat with Ritesh to learn how he uses external lenses to click photos with his Lumia.

Q: Why do you use external lenses with your Lumia?

A: There is no doubt that Lumia smartphones have the best optics and great camera quality, but specialized photography requires different lenses such as macro, wide angle, and fish-eye to get proper focus and to produce desired results. The same goes when you need to click distant buildings or need to click during harsh sunlight.

Q: What kind of external lenses do you use with your Lumia 535?

A: There are several brands such as Universal lens or Insta lens, which one can find in stores or online. One can also try DIY lenses and make your own lenses. I prefer to use macro (my favorite), wide-angle, fisheye and tele lens. A polarized lens is also available–you can use your sunglasses for the same effect.

Q: How do you choose lenses for your Lumia?

A: It all depends on the type of shot you want and the result you [want]. For macro lens, check if the lens works fine by focusing on your hand … to see closely the skin texture and other features. For beginners, I suggest the “3-in-1 lens set,” which will include lenses like macro, fisheye and wide-angle.

Q: How do you attach external lenses on your Lumia 535?

A: Lenses come with attaching options like magnets, pins or bands. If these default options don’t work, use a rubber band. I always use it and sticks hard to your phone and you shouldn’t worry about falling.

Q: Share the steps to click photos using external lenses on your Lumia.

A: First, attach the right lens depending on your need. For instance, for clicking a shot in daylight or in harsh sunlight, hook the polarized lens.

Second, open the Lumia camera and set focus as per your desired shot.

Third, check if you need to adjust white balance, ISO or shutter speed. Otherwise, let them be in auto mode and start to click.

Fourth, use a tripod while clicking night shots or testing long exposures.

Last, use your creativity.

(Click on the pictures to see the high resolution image)

Q: How much do these lenses cost?

A: One can get the most commonly used lenses (macro, wide-angle and fish eye) from $19.99. Tele lens is expensive and the cost depends upon zoom capability (the higher the zoom power, the higher the price). Normally, 12x zoom is the most expensive.

Q: Share some tips for Lumia photographers who want to use external lenses.

A: I want to tell people to continue clicking with their Lumias. Use external lenses only when you can’t do with the default Lumia Camera–don’t make it a habit as this is not your permanent gear. A nice Lumia such as Lumias 640 XL should be your next purchase to learn the ropes of photography.

Thanks a lot for talking to us, Ritesh!

]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/30/using-external-lenses-on-your-lumia/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/30/using-external-lenses-on-your-lumia/Cortana: world travelerhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/CAX9WkKKCfM/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/cortana-world-traveler/#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 16:17:43 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187572As everyone’s favorite personal digital assistant debuts in new countries around the world, we find out how Cortana is being customized for each individual region and culture.

Cortana has been helping to manage the lives of Windows Phone users in select countries (such as the UK, China, and U.S.) for over a year now.

Soon, with the launch of Windows 10, she’ll be traveling to new destinations, including France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. In the coming months, she’ll also be available to customers in the Windows Insider Program in Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico, and in English in India.

As a seasoned world traveler, Cortana is sensitive to the local customs and culture of the places she visits. Extensive research has been done in each market on speech recognition training, local language models, and functionality so that Cortana fits local residents’ needs and expectations for a digital assistant.

Cortana’s personality is customized for each country, with voice talent to match. For example, Cortana exhibits a dry British wit in the UK and has a fun and playful demeanor in China.

In Japan, where a high level of politeness is valued, Cortana will even bow by default.

Read here on Blogging Windows for more information on how Cortana brings cultural savviness to new markets.

How can Cortana make your life better? Let us know in the comments below.

]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/cortana-world-traveler/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/cortana-world-traveler/Top tips for using WhatsApp on your Lumiahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/VNVhAv-cEd8/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/top-tips-for-using-whatsapp-on-your-lumia/#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 11:29:48 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187517Whether you’ve been using WhatsApp on your Lumia for years or have just started today, we’ve got some top tips to make the most of your instant messaging.

Go unseen

By default, WhatsApp displays a “Last Seen” timestamp that shows all of your friends when you’re online. For the most part, that’s a handy feature, but you can turn it off if you’re concerned about your privacy.

To do so, head to Settings > Account > Privacy, and change the “Last Seen” option to “Everyone,” “My Contacts,” or “Nobody.”

Note: If you don’t share your “Last Seen,” you won’t be able to see other people’s “Last Seen” details, either.

See when people read your message

WhatsApp chats feature a ticking system on the messages you send. Two grey ticks indicate that the message is delivered, and two blue ticks show that the message has been read.

Long-pressing the message and selecting “Info” will show you exactly what time a message was read.

Use Wi-Fi for your media downloads

Some of your chats will contain photos, videos, audio, or all three–depending on what you and your pals are sharing.

To save on cellular data usage, you can opt to download those large files only via Wi-Fi. Go to Settings > Chat settings > Media auto-download. Next, the settings for images, video and audio can be changed to “Never,” “Wi-Fi,” “Wi-Fi and cellular,” and “Wi-Fi, cellular, roaming.”

Pin chats to your Start screen

Save yourself a couple of clicks when you want to send or read a message.

By pinning individuals or groups to your Start screen, you’re shown a brief snippet of any incoming communication and you’re just one tap away from the conversation.

How-to: Tap and hold on the conversation > Pin to start.

Block people

No matter how subtle your hints are when it comes to telling people you don’t want to talk to them, sometimes a straight-up block is the only answer.

Don’t worry; when you’re friends again, you can unblock them through the same menu.

Make a WhatsApp voice call

Added to Lumia in the latest WhatsApp update, you can now make a phone call directly from within the app. Just open a chat and look for the phone icon at the bottom of the screen. Press it to initiate a call.

WhatsApp is free to download from the Windows Phone Store, try it today.

Are you using WhatsApp on a daily basis? What crucial tips did we miss? Share them with us below.

]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/top-tips-for-using-whatsapp-on-your-lumia/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/top-tips-for-using-whatsapp-on-your-lumia/Vote now for the greatest Lumia Instagramer of the Monthhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/LYncU8K4JzA/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/vote-now-for-the-greatest-lumia-instagramer-of-the-month-6/#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 10:12:43 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187207It’s that time again. We find five fantastic Lumia Instagramers, and you vote for your favorite.

Choosing a single photographer to be crowned Instagramer of the Month is no easy task. Every month, thousands of talented people from around the world share their best photos on Instagram, and we’re faced with the tough job of narrowing it down to five candidates. Luckily for us, you’re here to lend a hand by taking care of the most difficult part — choosing the winner. So scroll down to see this month’s Instagramers, and then cast your vote using the poll below. As our community is filled with tons of super photographers, we know you’ll choose wisely.

Which one of these fine candidates leaves you feeling inspired, exhilarated, and perhaps a little bit envious? Be sure to let your voice be heard and cast a vote for your favorite. If you’d like to be considered for next month’s competition, simply tag your Instagram photos with #Lumia and show us what you’re capable of creating.

&amp;lt;a href=”http://polldaddy.com/poll/9002171/”&amp;gt;Who should be July’s Lumia Instagramer of the Month?&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;]]>http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/vote-now-for-the-greatest-lumia-instagramer-of-the-month-6/feed/0http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/vote-now-for-the-greatest-lumia-instagramer-of-the-month-6/How to blog on your Lumiahttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Conversations-Posts/~3/ZYz77ckh8l0/
http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/2015/07/29/how-to-blog-on-your-lumia/#commentsWed, 29 Jul 2015 07:24:20 +0000http://lumiaconversations.microsoft.com/?p=187521A quantity surveyor for construction sites by day and a blogger by night, the life of Victor Ng revolves around his Lumia 930.

Victor, who lives in Malaysia, has been writing about Lumia and Windows Phones on his blog BLOGJACK since 2012. He started Blogjack, a Chinese blog that reports news of Nokia, Lumia and Windows Phone, with his friend, Jack, from Hong Kong.

“What makes it special for us is that both of us do PureView photography posts and share great pictures clicked via Lumias,” Victor said.

“The [BLOGJACK] community is like a big family and I share a lot of Lumia and Windows Phone related news with them,” he added.

Victor has used many Lumias smartphones such as the Lumia 800, Lumia 920, Lumia 925, Lumia 1020 and the Lumia 1520. Today, he uses the Lumia 930 because of its beautiful design, excellent build quality and overall performance.

We recently had a chat with Victor to learn how he blogs with his Lumia.

Q: Why do you blog about Lumia and Windows Phone?

A:I have been blogging about Nokia, Lumia and Windows Phone since 2012. Since then my blog has gained many followers and readers who are Lumia enthusiasts. I love to interact with my readers exchange thoughts and opinions about tech news.

Q: How do you blog on your Lumia 930?

A:I blog on my Lumia 930 on the go, while away from my laptop. I draft the content of my post on OneNote and use Cortana or Bing Search to find additional information when required.

If I need to translate the source of news, I copy the words and take help of the Translator app. After finalization, I update all the blog content to WordPress via the WordPress app.

I must add that because of the great features of Lumia Camera I have stopped using my DSLR for shooting product reviews and reporting other blogger events.

Q: What makes blogging on your Lumia special?

A:Gone are the days when people need a PC or a laptop to do blogging; we can do everything with our Lumia smartphone today. I enjoy blogging on the Lumia 930’s gorgeous screen. Besides that, I think Windows Phone has the best keyboard [compared with] other platforms.

Q:Why did you start blogging?

A:I am a big Nokia fan. The first Lumia came out in 2012 and I decided to blog about it. Through my blog BLOGJACK, I introduce Lumia smartphones to more people.

Q: How do you compose your photos for your blog? Do you edit them?

A:I take a photo and enhance the quality of the photo via Lumia Creative Studio. There are many useful photo editor apps such as Adobe Photoshop Express and Camera360 Sight and hence I do most of my editing on my Lumia before uploading it to my blog or social media.

Q: Where do you get ideas for your blog posts?

A:I follow official channels such as Conversations blog or similar Microsoft blogs daily to check the latest news on Lumia including new launches. Besides that, I also follow other tech portals and write my blog when I think I can offer them something new and how they could benefit from it.

Second, OneNote, as you can write your blog post or save it as draft whenever you wish, before finalization and publishing.

Third, Translator, which helps in translating news sources’ that are in foreign language.

Fourth, Cortana or Bing Search. Depending on your location, you can use the default Bing Search or Cortana to check for more information, photos or videos via the Search button.

Fifth, Lumia Camera or Lumia Creative Studio. Use the Lumia Camera to click product photos that you are reviewing and if you wish to enhance, use the Lumia Creative Studio to retain the original version.

Q:How do you use your Lumia 930 day to day?

A:At work, I use the Lumia 930 mostly for checking emails, communicating with colleagues and my team via WhatsApp, and clicking photos of the progression of construction sites.

Further, I use OneNote to write important memos and use Cortana to set reminders. I also stay updated with news and interact with my friends via Facebook, Twitter and Weibo, and share photos of beautiful scenes clicked from my Lumia.